Just Deserts
by 4thFromTheFurnace
Summary: The Queen of Arendelle arrives at the Southern Isles prison for an important matter concerning the actions of Southern Isles' royal family. Has she come bearing the condemnation that the offender deserves? Spoiler heavy.


**I do not own _Frozen_, nor Hans Christian Anderson's _The Ice Queen_ that the film was inspired by.**

* * *

"Your Majesty! The Queen of Arendelle is here!"

And with those words, the palace of the Southern Isles erupted into a frenzy. The only thing faster than the servants' feet were their mouths as the gossip spread across the castle quicker than the Arendelle sisters could scarf down a platter of dark chocolate. Before one servant even finished the sentence, three other servants knew the news. The whole place was abustle and even the royal family was struck with nerves.

After all, it hadn't been more than six months since the youngest prince had not only disgraced the whole kingdom of the Southern Isles, but schemed to usurp the throne of another kingdom and tried to slaughter the very Queen that now stood beckoning at the palace doors. Now she waited with a frighteningly small parcel of guards with naught a hint at her purpose.

But as the snow poured down from the grey veil above, the servants and citizens were terrified out of their minds that the Queen had cursed their kingdom for the prince's sins. Though what scared them more was that it was the dead of winter, so for weeks it would be impossible to tell if the Queen had actually cursed an eternal winter upon their land or not.

Whether by fear or respect, the doors to the castle opened to the Queen, and she entered, shooting a smile and a quirked eyebrow at the shivering guards that opened the doors. She was agonizingly slow in her approach, the very picture of elegance and grace, coupled with a fierce beauty that kept all who saw her at a safe distance.

No one knew why she was there, not even the king, so one could only assume she came to issue some sort of response to the prince's misgivings. The doors to the palace itself opened, and cold air blasted through them from outside, silhouetting the Queen in a flurry of wind and droplets of snow. Her heels clacked sharply against the floor until she stopped for a moment to subtly take in her surroundings. She took in a deep breath. The doorman approached her, and she smiled at him, telling him that she'd like to speak with the king. He beckoned her to follow. She did. A servant rushed up with a towel, offering to dry her from the storm outside. She refused, telling him there was 'no need'.

The king sat on his throne, cracking his fingers and breathing through his nose, attempting to figure out what the Queen of Arendelle wanted and how he should respond to her. The youngest prince already sat rotting in a private prison. Could she have come to claim his life? Exact her revenge upon the kingdom? Even maybe simply introduce herself in all her power and glory to the family whose prince tried to kill her and seize her throne?

How does one answer any of those? He would need more time to deliberate. Surely, he could easily come up with a solution if given the time and proper preparation. Perhaps she would be satisfied with a gift of the Southern Isles most prized resources? No, that clearly wouldn't begin to cover the grievances committed. Giving the Queen a chunk of land from the kingdom? No no, same problem. Maybe the hand of marriage to one of the other princes would suffice. One who was good, smart, loyal, and true. But that seemed so petty. _'Don't like the one we sent you before? Here, have another! This one's still good, we promise!'_

Heavens no, that would never work. What else could he do? Exile the initial offender? Allow the land to be cursed forever? Sentence the prince to death? He wished beyond anything that it wouldn't come to that, but chance's of the prince's survival in the face of an angry Queen of any sort would be very slim. Attempted murder, treason, and all the other sins engraved on that list were not light offenses, and the line between mercy and justice was thin.

A guard's trumpet interrupted his thoughts, and he looked up just in time to see the guard announcing the Queen's presence.

"Presenting Her Majesty, Queen Elsa of Arendelle!"

The pale young queen glided into the room like a swan on the water, effortless and regal, the cape of her dress pooling behind her like a trail of stardust. She folded her hands in front of her as she walked, her head held high, not in necessity of her position, but in freedom and confidence.

When she reached the carpet before the throne, she dipped her head and gave a light curtsy. The king nodded in return.

She was so young, yet she had both decimated and completely restored her own kingdom with her power. He addressed her, "Queen Elsa, blessings to you this day, and we give thanks for your safe journey. However, if I may ask, what brings you to us today?"

A light laugh graced her features, and when she spoke, her voice was the low hum of a serious young woman who had not only power, but wisdom.

"To the point, aren't you, Your Majesty? Your kingdom is beautiful. I only wish I could've come to see it in the springtime. However, I'll have to schedule a vacation another time. I'm sure you know the matter I must address."

The king nodded, "You are referring to the matter of Prince Hans, am I correct?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. I would like to make a proposal in this matter."

* * *

Prince Hans kicked another plate of food across the floor and laid on his cot, staring at the ceiling. It was getting colder and he didn't really feel like eating anymore. All the thoughts that raged through his mind kept him from desiring food of any sort. He could see the snow from the tiny window at the top of his cell. It only made it worse.

How did it come to this? He was only trying to make something of himself. He didn't want to be the youngest brother who didn't amount to anything. He wanted to be a leader, to do some good. And honestly? He wanted to know, to _prove,_ that he could accomplish something. How did it go so wrong?

Initially, yes, the idea was to go to Arendelle as his country's representative, meet the new Queen and sweep her off her feet, marry her, then become King. When he got there, he was taken aback by how unreachable Elsa was, and the difficulty of getting somewhere with her became infinitely more difficult. He wasn't quite fond of the idea of going to the all trouble to try, and Princess Anna quite literally dropped in his lap, so his plans changed. It almost unnerved him, how easy she was.

After the Queen's escape, Anna gave him charge of the kingdom. And he thought he led it well in her absence. He took good care of her people. And had he done what a normal king would do and sent out search parties to search for Anna and the Queen, the likelihood of the two ladies being found, alive no less, would be low, and he could've sat upon the throne of Arendelle upon Anna's last request for the rest of his life. What possessed him to go to so much trouble? Now, for all his trouble trying to mend his own plans, to show his family he could be something other than a nuisance, how had he messed it up so bad?

He had left Anna in a locked room to freeze to death and almost cut the Queen down as she lay doubled over, sobbing in grief.

So the snow gave him no comfort, and the futility of the rest of his life left him no appetite to call his own.

A harsh and heavy knock came to the cell's door, momentarily startling him out of his sulking.

"I told you before, I don't want anything to eat!" Hans growled and turned over to face his cell wall.

"Hey! You got a visitor!" a gruff voice spat.

"I don't want to see anyone! Is this some kind of sick joke? Nobody would come anyway..." Hans snorted.

"Shut up already! I think you'll-" the guard had started to yell, but was interrupted by something. A voice, too soft and quiet to hear.

After a few moments, the guard responded to whatever the visitor had said, "Okay, if you're sure, just yell if you happen to need anything!"

This time, Hans could make out what the other voice was saying, "Oh don't worry, I think I can protect myself just fine if I needed to."

The voice chilled his spine and spread until he felt every bone ice over. A gentle knock startled him and he rolled over so fast he fell off the cot with a crash.

"Prince Hans? I'm coming in."

The disgraced prince looked up in time to see the Queen of Arendelle step through the door like an angel of death. He didn't bother to pick himself off the floor but hung his head in shame.

"Y-Your Majesty..."

She simply stood there, staring at him. He hadn't even allowed prison to be kind to him. His hair was grown and matted and scraggly, and he hadn't even bothered to shave for months. His frame had grown thin and his skin pasty. Part of him wondered if she even recognized him at all, and that part was somehow filled with both hope and dread. But she did.

"You look terrible."

His sour laugh caught in his throat as he coughed, "If you've come to exact your revenge, just do it already, there's nothing left for me now. I deserve your vengeance, so don't hold back on me!"

"Prince Hans-"

"Don't make it painless either! Unleash all your hatred!"

"Prince Hans."

"Perhaps you'd rather just leave me here so I can live out the rest of my life in wretched misery!"

"Prince Hans!"

"What!?"

This time, he did look at her, and her eyes were filled with sorrow, "I haven't come to condemn you..."

"Please don't say you've come to pity me. I don't deserve your pity."

She shook her head, "I haven't come to pity you either."

He eyed her dully, "Then what did you come for?"

She folded her arms behind her back and stared into the snowstorm beyond his window. Her voice was distant and wistful, but dead serious, "Once, there was a man who extended kindness to me with no pretenses, and told me that I didn't have to be the monster people thought I was. Suggested that there was good in me even when I couldn't see it myself. He saved my life and brought me back to my kingdom. He took care of my people in my absence and gave them the warmth that I could not. Regardless of any ulterior motives he may have had, he still showed me compassion that I didn't deserve when he didn't need to. Now I'm here merely to extend the same to you."

She looked him in the eye then, and her gaze was warm, and she smiled.

Hans had frozen in his place, his eyes wide in utter shock. For two halves of an eternity, he sat there, unable to comprehend any of what had just happened. The search for his voice took another forever, and it was tired and breathy when he did find it, barely able to form a word, "W-Wh-"

When he did find his voice, Hans sneered, "What are you, mad? Perhaps my sanity's finally left me. You _are_ here to sentence me to death, right? In a prison cell with the snow blowing outside, just like I did to you?"

She straightened herself, "I just spoke with the king, actually. I made a proposal. And, with a little convincing, he accepted."

When he couldn't fathom to speak, she continued, "I arranged for your sentence to end early and for you to live with families around both your country and mine for five years to learn the meaning of loyalty and compassion, and if you're found to be competent, compassionate, and honest when those five years end, you are free to choose. You can live in your country doing minor managing jobs and aiding in provincial matters, or,"

She extended her hand, "you can live in mine in an entry position of the Royal Guard."

"I'm waiting for you to get to the part when you deliver the axe to my neck or tell me what scheme you've drawn up for the treasonous whelp who attempted cold-blooded murder on both the Princess and the Queen of an allied kingdom." Hans quipped.

"I realize military positions aren't glorious at first, but I truly believe a man like you could do immeasurable good if you choose to do so." Elsa responded.

"Or! Perhaps you've come to spit and laugh in my face! Well, no need to prolong the fun, go ahead and get to the punchline already!"

She gave a soft sigh, her hand still extended to him, "Hans..."

Elsa's thin fingers skimmed his face for only a moment to get his attention, "I'm serious..."

His defiant eyes rose to hers, "Why do you dawdle? Hurry up and slap me, woman! I'll never forgive myself if you don't!"

Elsa took a deep breath and withdrew her hand, conjuring an ice bludgeon in her fist. Hans shifted his gaze to watch her as she prepared to use the instrument to crush his skull. She pulled back and swung...

He heard a sickening crunching sound and his mind went blank.

It took a few seconds for him to realize he wasn't dead. He heaved each breath, and when he opened his eyes, he saw her crush the rest of the ice weapon with her bare hand. He stared down at the pile of crushed ice on the ground, then up at her as she bent low to stare at him fiercely. And every word she spoke was like ice shot straight into his chest.

"I won't give you the satisfaction. Now you listen good and well, Prince Hans of the Southern Isles. You are going to stop sitting here wallowing in your sorrow and you are going to do everything in your power to make things right. When you do, you will see that your life _is_ worthwhile and you don't have to go through your life feeling sorry for yourself about the horrible things you did. You will become the person you were always meant to be and you will forgive yourself once you finally realize that everyone else has already forgiven you. Just as I have."

He stared at her, then at her hand, completely aghast, "But why-why would you-"

Queen Elsa then rose to stand up straight and thrust her hand out to him once again. The prince slumped and covered his face with his hand, and Elsa continued to hold her hand to him, even though he did something quite different in response. He began to laugh. His guffaw erupted in a hostile spit from his throat. His laughter increased until it rippled from his open mouth and echoed through his cell like thunder.

He spoke through his laughter, biting and sour with all the venom he could muster, "You...You're a fool!"

He coughed, "You're a fool! A fool! Why would you do something like that? What a fool!"

He continued to laugh, and she finally let her hand drop to her side.

"Hans, all I ask in return is that you return the favor to someone else as I have to you. This man gave me a second chance, now I give one to you. It's your choice what to do with it."

With that, she dipped her head and turned to leave.

Hans continued his cruel sarcastic laugh, only vaguely aware of the sound of his cell door thumping shut behind her as she left.

He laughed until he couldn't laugh anymore, his back leaning against his cot as he clutched his sides. He heaved to regain his breath, then he coughed and leaned his head back on the cot, covering his face with both hands and gritting his teeth.

Then he wept.

.

.

End.

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**Yes, this basically is my "There, I fixed it!" story topped with the need to appreciate both Elsa and Hans as in-depth characters(and maybe let some goodies for the soul seep in there too). ****I personally view _Frozen_ as a beautiful story that borders on creative genius.** The full rant that led me to write this thing is on my profile if anyone would like to read it. Blessings and Prayers.  



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